In India, we are still fighting for the basic education needs and they way the higher education sector is losing its credibility and importance; it must be given the status of “Alarming”. The universities direly need investment in their infrastructure and faculty, otherwise, same like these years, graduates would be produced with only a piece of paper in their hands not the knowledge for which they went to universities.

On the issue, the president of India spoke at the occasion of Banaras Hindu University’s centennial year celebrations at Swatantrata Bhavan. He said that we need to emphasize on the investment on research and higher education – so that the Indian universities could make their place in top rankings.

The president said that we have to gradually improve the research quality in our education system for that we need investment. He added that in the area of higher education research Indian allocates 0.26 % of its GDP while Japan gives 3 %, USA 2.8 % and China 2.2 %.

He advised the government to take necessary steps on this issue. President said that India has 729 universities and 36,000 colleges but how many of them giving the quality education according to the international standards. He congratulated two Indian universities who make place in world top 200 by international rating agencies.

He said that this all situation does not depict that we have any deficiency of talent in our country. He added that India have seen such talent, who won Nobel Prize. He also mentioned Subramanyan Chandrasekhar and Hargovind Khurana, who were awarded the prize for their work. He said that in 1930 after CV Raman not even a single scholar for any Indian university got prize.

On the bright past of Indian education, he said that there was a time when Indian dominated in the field of higher education with renowned learning centres of Vikramshila, Taxila and Nalanda. He added that after them, Indian universities till now did not get the place as dignified by their size, culture and civilization.

He praised Madan Mohan Malaviya for founding BHU and said that the main aim of his was to develop a scientific sense among students and making them aware with the outer world and core civilization values. He added that he (madan mohan) did want the students to be like robot.

He emphasized to work to regain the past glory and said that I have visited 114 institutions of higher education and regularly stressed there to improve the ranking. He said that he refuses to believe that none of the universities can match the standards for being in world top 200.

He added that there are many such education institutions in India that have the potential to get the place in world top rankings. The president on the visit also garlanded the statue of Mahanama Malaviya. The governor Ram Naik on the occasion released Rs10 and Rs 100 commemorative coins on BHU.